Employers’ Cultural Competence Toolkit Launch

Talita Holzer (ODI), Melissa Bosch (EY), Adrian Moynihan (AIB), and Abdul Bari Ahmadzai (ODI).

The Open Doors Initiative was delighted to welcome so many employers at AIB on June 6th . It was inspiring to feel the shared commitment in the room to equity, inclusion, and creating more culturally competent workplaces. 

We were honoured to hear from our lead researcher and keynote speaker Dr. Toluwani Akaehomen, who shared insights from her research and personal experience on the challenges and benefits of working in multicultural teams. She spoke about the need to move beyond “inclusion”, where a dominant culture welcomes others, towards true “integration”, where all voices and perspectives are genuinely valued.

Dr. Toluwani Akaehomen (Vantage Dymensions)

Our panel discussion was another highlight, featuring Melissa Bosch (EDI Lead at EY), Adrian Moynihan (Head of Consumer at AIB), and Abdul Bari Ahmadzai (Business Development at Open Doors Initiative). They explored what makes a culturally competent leader, how to navigate diverse communication styles, and why inclusive practices lead to better outcomes. Melissa shared the impact of EY’s Refugee Access Programme, and Adrian discussed how AIB’s expanded language services have boosted customer satisfaction through greater inclusivity. 

Thank you to AIB and the European Social Fund Plus Ireland for supporting the research and development of the toolkit.

The Employers’ Cultural Competence Toolkit is available to ODI partners on our Research Hub.

We also offer Cultural Competence training, based on the same research underpinning this toolkit.